Design Thinking Module: Reflective Report on Design Thinking Workshop

This reflective report documents the learning experience from a 'Design it' workshop module, focusing on personal and professional knowledge development. The report emphasizes the applicability of design thinking tools and processes, highlighting design thinking as a deep-dive approach to problem-solving and innovation. It covers key concepts such as entrepreneurship, innovation, communication skills, ethics, and prototyping. The report also includes reflections on personal development, knowledge development, and an action plan for future growth. The student reflects on the importance of ethics in business and the use of design thinking tools like empathy mapping and journey mapping for effective problem-solving.

Running Head: REFLECTIVE REPORT 0
Reflective Report
Design it Module
(Student Details:)
10/2/2018

Reflective Report 1
Executive Summary
The reflective report will focus on my learning from ‘Design it’ workshop module, in
two forms include personal development and professional knowledge development.
Throughout the whole workshop from the first week to last week of the module, many
activities took place for teaching us the applicability of design thinking tools and processes.
Purpose of writing this reflective report is that after learning some things and concepts if I
will not reflect them in any future actions or activities of my daily life as well as professional
life then there is of no use of spending this much hours on the workshop module. Hence,
Design thinking is an approach which is deep dive thinking and observing problems. After
Design thinking implementation any complex problem of real-life or business can be solved
through introducing innovation into business with open-minded learning and user-centric
attitude. Thus, it is a novel way to design tool which can effectively solve humans’ and
entrepreneurs’ problems with the help of creative deep thinking and its effective
implementation. I went through twelve weeks in the design thinking module, and while I was
learning, I got to know many new things related to business that are not limited to business
models only but they are widely applicable to all areas of the life.

Reflective Report 2
Contents
Reflective Report.......................................................................................................................3
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Reflection on Personal Development.........................................................................................3
Entrepreneurship and Innovation...........................................................................................3
Reflection and Learning.........................................................................................................5
Communication skills.............................................................................................................6
Reflection on Knowledge development.....................................................................................6
Ethics being Professional or Personal....................................................................................6
DT tools and processes...........................................................................................................7
Prototyping and Learning Launch..........................................................................................8
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................8
Action Plan.................................................................................................................................9
References................................................................................................................................10

Reflective Report 3
Reflective Report
Introduction
This is a reflective report, based on my experience of eleven weeks workshops
activities on ‘Design thinking’ (here in after referred as DT) process. Design thinking event
had eleven-week exercises, in which I went through eleven weeks of workshop activities for
designing my thinking. Prominence of reflective report writing is mainly for the self-
development from past learning and assessment failures. As our teacher told us that reflection
is a chief element of studies, because it plays a vital role in self-learning as well as
evaluation. This reflective report is a way of evaluating, assessing and interpreting all eleven
workshops’ experience to acquire new understanding and improved knowledge set (Becker,
Kugeler, & Rosemann, 2013).
Reflection on Personal Development
The module was all dedicated to make us familiar about key steps in the process of
designing. After overview part, we all were given a short break for tea and refreshment and
then workshop continued (Drucker, 2014). We were told that our tutor is the first person to
contact in case of any query regarding workshop process. For distant learning students, there
was a unit coordinator’s contact. Moreover, tutors from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney
gave a brief overview about the way through which we all students can contact them by
telling their contact details and approaches to communicate them. During Week-I activity, I
got to know that design thinking workshop will have three main steps to follow, they include
Poster making, presentation and Research report and Assessment-III (de Andrés Martínez,
2012).
Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Our tutor told us that the base of DT here will be entrepreneurship and innovation.
Design thinking is used in managerial decision making and DT tools are used to apply this
DT in various contexts of management. After that, DT activity took place where we all
visualised our thoughts and thinking. After thinking exercise, we all were suggested to give
feedback on all available opinions. Moreover, definitions and concepts related to
entrepreneurship as well as innovation were discussed during first week (Kirzner, 2015). At
the end of the Week-I workshop, tutor suggested to start writing reflective blogs from the

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very beginning, as he reminded that at the end of the DT workshop module we all need to
submit a reflective report and reflective blogs writing (Shamah, 2013).
Workshop module-2 was about design processes and tools, comparison of designing
and business, design mind-set and few innovation stories telling. Assessment-1 briefing was
also a part of design process workshop. During this week, I learnt about what is DT actually.
My interpretation for DT is that it is an innovative complex problems solving approach to
create new understandings aiming to prepare graduates for their better careers. Design and
business are two different concepts; out of which business is mostly revenue generated but
designing is needs, feelings and feedbacks of human being oriented. Activity based on DT,
was conducted, in which exploration of ‘Deep Dive’ approach was executed (Dorst, 2011).
Whether this approach is linear or non-linear, this question was raised during this DT activity.
If I will relate DT process with real time problems of life then, it can be explained as below.
First step of every problem solving is identification of the problem, simultaneously
each and every problem solving process contain three major stairs of Thinking, Acting and
Sensing it. After identification, deep observation is needed to visualize and build senses
accordingly (Scarborough, 2016). Visualization as well as sense making will help in getting
the idea about what exactly need to be done. After Ideation, prototyping and testing step is
practised in order to het user’s confirmation. Final step of solving any problem of real life is
viability testing by testing assumptions while implementing it in a wider context. During this
week, one activity relating famous innovation stories with DT was allotted to all of us. In that
activity I read the stories in Moodle and went through all questions raised on those stories.
Moreover, core values and mind set of designers is governed from qualities include:
attentiveness, quality interpretation, deep observation and self-reflection assessment.
Further, if I am willing to learn with an open mind set then only I can learn from
mistakes and will take failures as learning opportunities. Thus, the aim of DT lies in
achieving increased values in our actions as well as behaviours. We should focus on
innovative DT rather than relaxing in our business minded comfort zone (Asheim, 2007).
Poster making brief was given by the tutor, in which he covered its structure and usage with
designing tips. I learnt that poster is having five main points to be considered as the message,
title, section headers, creative design (layout of the page, visual aids, fonts, colours,
sequencing), references and copyright (Kimbell, 2011). I saw many poster examples provided

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on Moodle for poster making assessment-1, and all were representing DT in an efficient way.
In the end of module-2, I started preparing for the next week, as suggested by the teacher.
Those pictures were containing images of office chair, stress, post reading headache,
twisted umbrella shape due to speedy winds atmosphere. Moreover, he instructed us to write
novel ideas for diverse ice cream flavours and variety of soda flavours. The key learning from
this week-4, was that we should never criticize any innovative idea of any human being as it
will demoralize his or her DT and I was feeling more independent and wide in thinking about
innovation after this particular fourth week.
Week-3 module of this DT workshop was all new for me, as I learnt many concepts
related to DT, that was complete unknown for me. What I learnt completely new was that DT
is not only for providing solution to any problem but it enables designers to create and
improve value of the better product in the market. Role of designing for any company was
made clear to me when I got to know the difference amid logical reasoning with design and
without design. I also learnt that if one person needs to work in a right direction to achieve
best results then he or she must follow DT process to reach the right solution with most
effective way (Brown & Wyatt, 2010). Moreover, with the help of triple loop learning, I
acquired the knowledge about demands of deep DT from designers. If I will summarize the
three types of learning then single loop learning is all about learning rules and following
them. Double loop learning is about learning, questioning and modifying those rules (Martin,
2009). Additionally, triple loop learning is about getting feedback and self-reflection on that
learning in order to improve future results. Other than tri loop learning co-creation was
introduced as it is about acknowledging consumer for the product of the company. In this
way, the week-3 was very much interactive and new learning week of the whole DT
workshop.
Reflection and Learning
In the beginning of module 2, class discussion on weekly blogging experience and
reflections took place. Tutor told us on important aspect about gaining feedback on our self-
written blogs, which was very essential for self-assessment and improvement.
Design it module highlighted revisiting of workshop module-2. Mr Michael told a lot
of things about DT problems like deep and continuous thinking, design process, and positive
attitude towards innovation. In this context, he conducted an exercise of drawing circles on
the blank page. In that activity, Mr Michael told us to draw our favourite shape using 30

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circles, with constraint of utilizing all thirty circles. Through this sketching activity he taught
us that never set boundaries when you are innovating something. Additionally, we all
fragmented in different groups for the ease of tutors for conducting different activities. Later
then, Mr Michael showed some daily life problems pictures to us.
Communication skills
Later then, presentation of five groups was got scheduled, as per the overview given
in the very first class, assessment-III was about presentation and research report writing. My
group team was also one of them and our number was fourth for delivering presentation.
Although all the teams delivered presentation in nice manner yet I feel that English was not
perfect as language, and many students should work on their communication skills for better
communication while giving presentations ( Dubey, 2018). Conversely, all were having a
good knowledge and understanding about design tools which they used for the problem
statement of their presentation. Additionally, in my opinion my team performed very well. As
we were carrying written documents with us on which our group worked for the
brainstorming and paper prototyping ( Claes, 2017). All the group members of my team were
appreciated by Mr. Michael for effective presentation. Moreover, while we were giving
presentation, I felt that I am also lagging somewhere in my communication skills because I
got completely blank in the beginning due to my stage fear (Martin, 2009).
Reflection on Knowledge development
Ethics being Professional or Personal
During week-7, I learnt about differentiating data sources as primary and secondary. I
also got to know ethics significance in all areas of life. My post interpretation about ethics
after week-7 of the module is that these are moral principles obtained from personal life of
every human being (Hobcraft, 2017). It helps us to decide what is right to do and what is not.
Ethics are not related to personal life but business ethics are also very important as, if a
person is not ethical in business then he or she might get into a legal trouble anytime
anyplace ( Reynolds, 2018). In this context, I got to know that every company who own a
business usually registers patents first. Moreover, if someone tries to snip their patents for the
engineering of their own products, then it is known as unethical and any legal action can be
taken against he or she. Thus, I feel that being ethical in your own business, will always lead
one to success and he or she will never feel the fear of legal actions or troubles (Lundvall,
2010).

Reflective Report 7
DT tools and processes
DT process module helped me to get an idea about two important design tools. Those
design tools were empathy mapping and journey mapping. Being a design tool journey
mapping taught me the correct way of coming to the right solution for any real-time problem.
In detail, the tool was telling a step-by-step design planning to identify correct solution
summarizing the whole journey of planning the solution. For an example, if I want to go on a
vacation and am willing to plan it effectively for any nice destination, then I require to do
many things like ticket reservation, finding allowed weight limit for the luggage, and desired
shopping. Thus, this tool can help us to solve this journey planning problem more effectively.
On the other hand, Empathy Mapping tool leads to the solution through observing the
behavior of human’s thinking and feeling about others. In this way, these above DT tools
provided more knowledge about getting solution in an innovative way.
I learnt the relationship amid value and cost of the product which was obtained from a
DT tool value chain analysis. I learnt that value is something we provide to the customer and
for that value only they will pay the price of the product. What should be the proportional
relation between the both and their harmony was apparent from this value chain analysis
(Dunne & Martin, 2006). I understood this harmony between value and cost with a provided
example of McD’s coffee. The McD provides a coffee in much higher price than other
cafeterias because of their quality. Thus, I learnt how that high price is decided and on which
factors. I also learnt that each step in between getting final products from raw material is
measured in adding value to the cost of the product and this is how the total cost of any
product is getting decided. Hence, through learning value analysis I learnt to analyse any
product in the marketplace and estimating its pricing methodology (Kuratko, 2005).
During my first class of week-I workshop, I got a basic idea about design it process in
the management field through Moodle overviewing exercise. Teaching staff, self-assessments
and key concepts were introduced in that first class. At the end of the workshop, during one
activity of writing weekly blogs, I was asked for sharing my blog entry with my friend and
sharing feedbacks on each other’s weekly blogs. While I was giving feedback on my friend’s
blog then it felt a new experience to me as I was supposed to observe deeply on my friend’s
blog entry and I also got feedback on my own weekly blog.

Reflective Report 8
Prototyping and Learning Launch
During week-8, I learnt about design tool prototyping which is very important for the
business purposes. When company is manufacturing a fresh product and if they are willing to
check its market value and functioning, so building prototypes is the best way for doing so.
My interpretation about prototype is that it is the model by which a firm can test and evaluate
functionality. They also attract consumer by displaying the product to give information to the
consumer about their product (Liedtka, Ogilvie, & Brozenske, 2014). Some key examples of
prototyping are storyboard prototyping, paper prototyping, cad drawing, and 3-Dimensional
printing model ( Naiman, 2017). Later then, our group was given a topic that how cans
crimes be controlled crimes in Melbourne city while building prototypes during a class in
week-8.
Moreover, we were given an activity of giving feedback to another two teams who
prepared prototypes in last workshop in order to enhance our observation and learning
towards prototyping ( Fanguy, 2018). Thus, learning launch activity surprised me that in
reality companies utilize prototyping tool for advertising of their newly manufactured
products. They provide their products for free for trial and take feedbacks for their products
from the consumers to enhance quality and adjust it according to the need of the customers
(Drucker, 2014). During workshop, learning of most useful design tool ‘learning launch’
design tool took place among all groups. Each company uses this learning launch tool prior to
real launch of their products or services. I learnt that the learning launch enables firm to
intermingle with the potential marketplace of the products (Nelson, 2013). In order to carry
the tool, company make set of assumptions for getting ideas about customers viewpoint on
company’s products or services (Ortlipp, 2008).
Conclusion
Overall the whole DT workshop module was a great learning experience for me to
learn from my own mistakes, failures, analysis and knowledge ( Rosenø, 2018). The learning
from DT processes and tools made me a different person post last week of the workshop.
Now, I am able to apply all those methods and concepts which I have learnt during all of the
modules to real life problems for developing a better career of mine.

Reflective Report 9
Action Plan
My future actions and career plans will definitely contain learning from this Design
thinking workshop module. As I will try to revise and explore my acquired knowledge from
the module in next six months through conducting a small workshop or seminar on Design
thinking process and its tools. I also have decided that I will go on a survey in the Kellogg’s
company to know their design process thinking and how they implement innovative business
in their marketplace to resolve any need of customers.

Reflective Report 10
References
Claes, G. (2017, October 3). When, which … Design Thinking, Lean, Design Sprint, Agile?
Retrieved from medium.com: https://medium.com/@geertwlclaes/when-which-
design-thinking-lean-design-sprint-agile-a4614fa778b9
Dubey, A. (2018, February 18). 10 Amazing Leadership Lessons From Design Thinking.
Retrieved from addicted2success.com:
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/10-amazing-leadership-lessons-from-
design-thinking/
Fanguy, W. (2018, jun 1). Why the world needs more design thinking. Retrieved from
www.invisionapp.com: https://www.invisionapp.com/inside-design/world-needs-
more-design-thinking
Naiman, L. (2017, April 21). Why Your HR Department Should Embrace Design Thinking.
Retrieved from www.inc.com: https://www.inc.com/linda-naiman/6-ways-hr-applies-
design-thinking-to-deliver-engaging-employee-experiences.html
Reynolds, G. (2018). Ethics in Information Technology (6th ed.). Boston, USA: Cengage
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